From legendary John Ward, immortalized in fiction as Jack Sparrow, and English explorer Francis Drake; branded Pirates by their enemies but heroes by their comrades, to the notorious Pirates of the Caribbean, swashbuckling, brutal and shrouded in myth. Who were the real enemies of the sea?
With the help of historical experts and exclusive access to a wealth of pirate artifacts, each hour-long episode will track through time, charting the voyages and exploits of an infamous pirate legend to explore what it was about them that has kept their myths alive.
Episode 1: Francis Drake - For Queen and Country
Sir Francis Drake, a hero to the English, known as The Dragon to the Spanish. From his journeys as a slave trader to his vicious attacks on Spanish colonial towns, Drake’s status continues to rise with the endless stolen plunder he brings to Queen Elizabeth 1st. The circumnavigation is the pinnacle of his career, cementing him in history as the world’s most controversial pirate.
Episode 2: Grace O’Malley - The Pirate Queen of Ireland
Grace O’Malley, the Pirate Queen of Ireland. Born to a seafaring family, O'Malley defied gender conventions to become the most feared and respected leader of both the land and the sea. Using marriage to wrangle her political position and securing lands through a meeting with Queen Elizabeth, O’Malley’s rise from wanted pirate to Chieftain is won through a warrior’s sword and a woman’s grit.
Episode 3: John Ward - The English Pirate of North Africa
The Englishman turned fabled Algerian pirate. From humble beginnings, impoverished sailor John Ward grows tired of the drudgery of the English navy. At the age of 50 he starts a remarkable ascent from petty pirate to notorious menace on the Mediterranean Sea, converting to Islam and becoming a wealthy overlord in the Ottoman Empire.
Episode 4: Henry Morgan - The Lieutenant Pirate
The career of Henry Morgan goes beyond the beloved rum he is synonymous with. A brilliant strategist, Morgan takes humans, treasure and Spanish colonial towns with no mercy. Sailing very close to the edge of legalities, Morgan’s time as a pirate is punished with a brief stint in the Tower of London followed by a promotion to become Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica.
Episode 5: Captain Kidd - The Treasure Hunter
Captain Kidd, the treasure hunter. A Scottish man who breaks into the higher echelons of New York society and is sponsored as a privateer. When the legitimate prizes of the Red Sea are not to be found, Kidd quickly turns from pirate hunter to pirate. An unpopular captain he frantically chases treasure and status until his fateful trial where he is charged with murder.
Episode 6: Calico Jack, Anne Bonny, Mary Read: Rebel Spirits
The notorious pirate run town of Nassau is soon to be shaken by the English crackdown on lawlessness in the Caribbean. Living off plunder and raiding, Calico Jack, Anne Bonny and Mary Read form a troublesome trio who successfully rob ships and live off the spoils of the sea until they are captured by pirate hunters and tried for piracy.
Episode 7: Blackbeard - Queen Anne’s Revenge
Blackbeard; shrouded in myth and intrigue, the name synonymous with chaos. His stolen flagship The Queen Anne’s Revenge careers through the Caribbean, gaining momentum with a diverse crew of pirates seeking equality, adventure and treasure. When he successfully blockades Charleston in South Carolina, demanding medicine for his syphilis-inflicted crew, the hunt for Blackbeard ends with a bloody battle.
Episode 8: Roberts - The Last Great Pirate
Bartholomew Roberts aka Black Bart, the most successful pirate of the Golden Age, his fleet amassing 450 stolen ships. From his humble beginnings as a Welsh sailor, Roberts quickly becomes captain of a pirate ship, showing his shrewd captainship he writes down a pirate code. His piracy almost brings West Indies trade to a standstill until he is hunted down by the English crown.